Computer Transportation Services
Shipping Method Details and Quote

Recent Phone Conversation Concerning Shipping Costs and Details
    Using containers is the least expensive method of shipping computers from Iowa City to Nigeria.  There are two sizes, 20 ft. (about the size of a UPS truck) and 40ft.(the size of a full size semi).
    The transaction would include the following:

  1. Drayage Companies (or another company of similar services) drops off a container and either we have two hours to load it or they come back the next day.
  2. The container is trucked to the nearest train station.  It travels by train to the best port, in this case Norfolk or New York were discussed.  Norfolk is closer to Nigeria so may be the better option.
  3. The container is then loaded onto an ocean liner and travels from the U.S. port to a port in Nigeria.  
  4. It seems wisest to leave the rest of the shipping up to our Nigerian counterparts.  Lagos may not be the best place to drop off a container full of computers.  There are two other ports Bode mentioned.  Then it would be most likely bets for the container to travel by train to the University of Jos or wherever the computers are being shipped (in the future).  It can also be trucked there but train may be cheaper.

Rates are based on weight and size of container and the distance traveled.  There may be options of hooking up with another company's ocean liner.  Todd gave the example of the Dole Company ship used to ship container to South America (="riding on its coattails"). 

An example given, before quote was available was a shipment of small, oddly shaped desks to Hawaii.  A 40ft. container was used.  The weight was approximately 150 lbs, adn the cost was $6700.  Desks weight a lot less than computers, however.  Our total cost may be up to $12,000-15,000, which includes train costs, ocean liner costs, and additional fees that apply.

More News
Cost of shipping: From Iowa City, IA, to Port Harcourt, Nigeria

20' Ocean Container  ......................  $4,908
40'  Ocean Container ......................  $6,100

Transit Time is approximately 30 days.

Previous data entry (to be edited later):

Shipping Computers Information

Last updated 2/22/01 by Bonnie Pedersen

Computer Transportation Services, Breda Iowa
www.moveit.com
1-800-831-0030
Breda is about 75 miles west of Ames, near Carol, Iowa.
Referral provided by Sally from The Christina Foundation.

Contacts within this Organization:
Jeff Nielsen, ext. 14
Todd Partridge, head/director, ext. 12
Hellen Wimpe, International shipping, ext. 15

  1. The closer the original location to the coast, the better (the lower the cost).
  2. Container is dropped off at original location (DOOR).  i.e. by Drayage Companies (truck delivery of containers).  Have the option of either loading up the container in two hours or have it dropped off and picked up a day later.  
  3. Packing is extremely crucial.  Shipment by container on the railroad and then overseas is a very rough ride.  Packing is left up to us, the people who drop off the container will not help us (at least not free of charge).
  4. Container is picked up and then trucked to the nearest train station.  It then takes the fastest and most direct railroad route to a port.  This would be the east coast in this case, either New York or Norfolk.  Norfolk is closer to Nigeria so would be the better choice although the distance traveled by train would be greater.  It is better to have a longer distance by train than a longer distance by ship, usually.
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